This cool 3D-printed rubber band-powered cartridge is perfect for miniature firing ranges

Whenever humanity invents a new thing, people get to work on figuring out how to use it to make it fling objects at really high speeds. I haven’t really seen people achieve this goal with 3D printing, but today is the day that changes. Someone posted a rubber band-powered cartridge you can use to shoot little pellets around, but I wouldn’t recommend firing it at people.

This rubber band-powered cartridge can fire a mean shot

In a post on the 3D printing subreddit, user IdonthaveQuestions posted a video of their 3D printed cartridges. Loading them is easy; add a rubber band, put a pellet on it, push it down with a loader like it’s a 21st-century musket, then turn it 90 degrees. It’ll then keep the pellet in a primed position, which then fires when you tap on its underside hard enough.

So, the first thing you may think of when looking at this project is making these the perfect weapon in your ongoing projectile war with your rivals. However, it’s best you don’t actually point this thing at another living being, as they’re more powerful than they look. In fact, the creator added a disclaimer that’s mostly about not taking out an eyeball:

• It’s a prototype and it might be unstable.
• Make sure there’s no kids around. they might swallow the projectile.
• DO NOT look into the hole of the loaded cartridge.
• This Thing Hurts.
• When loading, Twisting counter-clockwise must be done well. (It might launch itself)
• DO NOT give it a imapact [sic], It might launch itself

As such, you’ll be better off firing these little darts at inanimate objects without anyone else around. Maybe line up some cans, or maybe even 3D print some targets to ping things off of.

If you want to make your own, check out the schematics over on Maker World. The creator is also working on a gun that will fire these pellets, so keep an eye out for that, too.